CHICAGO—Kris Bryant, the prolific power-hitting third baseman from San Diego, wasn’t the only offensive force the Cubs drafted. They also stepped away from the organizational need for pitching to select […]

Confidence should not be a problem for Dan Vogelbach as he heads toward his first full pro season. Vogelbach got his pro career off to an impressive start in two short-season stops a year ago, reinforcing comparisons to Prince Fielder and Billy Butler.

Based on the sneak preview from last summer, the Cubs can't wait to see what Juan Carlos Paniagua can do in a full season. "Obviously, he's got a really big arm," said Jason McLeod, the Cubs' scouting and farm director.

Hector Rondon's arm has never been a secret. The question about him has been his health, and the longer the Cubs watched him pitch for Caracas in the Venezuelan League, the more convinced they became that he put his elbow problems behind him.

It was a long year for righthander Tony Zych, but he was sure to feel good about it when he got home from the Arizona Fall League. Zych, 22, put himself on the map as a potential set-up reliever behind closer Carlos Marmol, and he could reach Wrigley Field at some point in 2013. That would be a huge event for his family, which is scattered all around the Chicago area.<br/>Zych was drafted in the fourth round out of Louisville in 2011 but played his high school ball at St. Rita High in Chicago, commuting 35 miles from his home in Monee.

Most of the progress made in the first year of the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer regime has involved adding and developing hitters, but know they need a lot more prospects as they try to build a competitive pitching staff. With that in mind, they have been aggressive at the start of the offseason.

Darwin Barney has proven himself as a big league second baseman after winning back-to-back NCAA titles at Oregon State. With an amateur pedigree that led only to Goddard (Kan.) High, Logan Watkins has had to make a name for himself climbing the ladder within the Cubs farm system.

Stephen Bruno had been a .300 hitter his whole life but was struggling when short-season Boise started their season. He was crowding the plate and jamming himself. That's when hitting coach Bill Buckner made a suggestion that turned around his season. "Do me a favor," Buckner told Bruno. "Move off the plate a little bit."

Billy Williams and Ernie Banks spent 11 seasons hitting next to each other in the Cubs' lineup. Mark Grace and Sammy Sosa were together nine seasons. That's the kind of run that Theo Epstein and Co. are envisioning for the top prospects they added this season, outfielders Jorge Soler and Albert Almora.